In the following discussion, certain articles and methods will be described for background and introductory purposes. Nothing contained herein is to be construed as an “admission” of prior art. Applicant expressly reserves the right to demonstrate, where appropriate, that the articles and methods referenced herein do not constitute prior art under the applicable statutory provisions.
Improved visualization is an unmet need in vitroretinal surgery. Vitroretinal eye surgery includes a group of procedures performed using lasers or conventional surgical instruments deep inside the eye's interior. As the name implies, this delicate surgery takes place in the area of the eye where the gel-like vitreous and retina are found. Various vitreoretinal surgical and laser approaches can restore, preserve, and enhance vision for many eye conditions such as, e.g., diabetic retinopathy, vitreous hemorrhage, macular hole, detached retina, and epiretinal membrane. However, in performing these operations, surgeons have difficulty in viewing, e.g., the periphery of the posterior ocular chamber, and may have to use scleral indentation in order to do so. Additionally, it may be useful to a surgeon to be able to view the area behind the iris and other structures of the eye from the inside of the eye.
Improved visualization may also aid other types of surgery (for example, cataract surgery or other types of surgery in which instruments are being inserted into/removed from the body through a small incision that makes visualization difficult). As another example, it may be helpful for the surgeon to visualize anterior structures in the eye (e.g., the angle of the eye), which may not be possible without specialized lenses.
There is accordingly a need for a surgical instrument that facilitates visualization of the interior areas (e.g., of the eye) currently difficult or impossible to view with current techniques. The present disclosure addresses this need.